Hyderabad: Environment and Forest Minister Konda Surekha informed the Legislature-Parliament that the provincial government is taking various steps to reduce human-wildlife conflict incidents and as a part of that, guidelines on the movement of people in the villages around the forest have been widely disseminated in all the villages. Council on Monday.
Responding to queries on tiger reserves in the state, Surekha said that in addition to the guidelines, the government is also relocating villages within the Kawal Tiger Reserve and providing all facilities to the relocated families in their new homes. He said that the Telangana government has also increased the compensation for human deaths in conflict with wild animals from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. “Though compensation does not replace the loss suffered by families in such incidents, it is an act of reassurance on the part of our government to such families,” she said.
Referring to the recent incidents of tigers and leopards attacking people in the erstwhile united Adilabad district, the minister said such incidents could be reduced if people followed safety guidelines. “But people are ignoring our precautions. “Although we are told not to go out to the forest and adjoining areas before 10 am and return home by 4 pm, some people are ignoring the guidelines made for their safety,” said the minister.
She also said that the government is considering making the forest areas of KB Asifabad district a part of the tiger corridor area for the big cats coming from Maharashtra to Telangana as a conservation reserve.